The Council
'' |image= |series= |production=40358-074/322 |producer(s)= |story= |script= Manny Coto |director= David Livingston |imdbref=tt0572252 |guests=Randy Oglesby as Degra, Tucker Smallwood as Xindi-Primate Councilor, Rick Worthy as Jannar, Scott MacDonald as Commander Dolim, Josette DiCarlo as Sphere-Builder Woman, Sean McGowan as Corporal Hawkins, Mary Mara as Sphere-Builder Presage and Ruth Williamson as Sphere-Builder Primary |previous_production=E² |next_production=Countdown |episode=ENT S03E22 |airdate=12 May 2004 |previous_release=E² |next_release=Countdown |story_date(s)= 12 February 2154 |previous_story=E² |next_story=Countdown }} =Summary= It is now mid-February 2154, and Enterprise is en route to the Xindi Council. Under escort by Degra's ship, Captain Archer is briefed by him on the five member species of the Council. Other friendly Xindi ships soon join the escort. As they approach the planet, however, the flagship of Reptilian Commander Dolim intervenes. After a tense standoff, Dolim backs down. On the planet, Archer and Ensign Sato enter the Council chamber and present their evidence to the gathered representatives; Dolim, angered at the move, walks out in protest. A Guardian appears to him later, promising Reptilian dominance if he continues their original plan. Meanwhile, a shuttlepod containing Sub-Commander T'Pol, Lieutenant Reed, Ensign Mayweather and MACO Corporal Hawkins, departs to investigate a nearby sphere in order to try to collect more data on the Sphere Builders (who are now becoming increasingly concerned with the human threat). The away team successfully enters an exhaust vent, and reaching the core, they are able to retrieve a memory module. The intrusion alerts an automated defense system, however, and Hawkins is disintegrated helping the others escape. Doctor Phlox and Commander Tucker then create a holographic version of the Sphere Builder from Harbinger which Archer presents to the Council. Many admit its resemblance to the Guardian race, a people who the Xindi both revere and worship. The Council votes to delay the weapon's launch, with even Dolim agreeing. That night, however, Dolim covertly confronts Degra in the Primate's quarters and stabs him, declaring revenge for the destruction of the Reptilian ship and a vendetta against his family. At the next meeting, Dolim openly admits the death (and Reptilian primacy) and the Reptilian and Insectoid members leave. They soon launch the superweapon, escorted by Dolim with his flagship. With both Enterprise and friendly Xindi vessels in pursuit, Dolim kidnaps Sato and disappears into a subspace vortex. =Errors and Explanations= Nit Central # The Undesirable Element on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 - 8:10 pm: So they kidnap Hoshi at the end? Now that has me intrigued. What could Hoshi have that the Reptilians want? ' ''Trike on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 - 11:53 pm: Remember from an earlier scene, the weapon needed codes from three species to be activated. The Reptillans know Hoshi has the ability to fake one of the codes. SlinkyJ on Thursday, May 13, 2004 - 4:53 am: I think they are using Hoshi the same way Degra was told about the inevitable destruction of his family, as an intimidation tool. It's just the way she was named as 'The female'. Herbert on Thursday, May 13, 2004 - 8:00 pm: Maybe I've missed something but what makes you think Hoshi knows one of the weapon codes? How could she? SeniramUK 11:45, November 25, 2018 (UTC) Her skills in linguistics would give her the know how to work out the code.' # I was watching this with my brother and when the away team was in the sphere, I said to him, "You have three regulars and a never-before-seen extra. I wonder who's going to bite the big one?" It's nice to be right sometimes. 'Darth Sarcasm on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 - 10:02 pm: Wasn't Hawkins the guy in Impulse and Hatchery?' # Why is it such a problem to get the mess hall repaired. That place has apparently been in shambles for weeks. Surely that place would at least be cleaned up early on. People need a place to eat. 'Darth Sarcasm on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 - 10:02 pm: No... people need food. They can eat anywhere. The Mess Hall is not as important as propulsion, environmental, and defensive systems.' # There was a short exchange during the ride down to the council that I absolutely loved. Degra tries to tell Archer how to speak to the council and talking in hushed tones makes the Aquatics distrustful but talking in loud voices threatens the Reptilians. There was also that montage of the different races and how each would react to Archer. This episode is really driving home (I think) the parallels between the Xindi and the soon-to-be-formed Federation. The races are even similar. Humanoids are similar to Humans The Arborials look like Tellarites and the Arborial representative has been just as argumentative as Tellarites are supposed to be. The Aquatics are wise and enigmatic like the Vulcans. The Insectoids have antennae and are agressive like the Andorians. I don't know where the Reptilians fit in but you get the idea. 'SlinkyJ on Thursday, May 13, 2004 - 4:53 am: Klingons? I love your idea!' # ''Christopher Q on Thursday, May 13, 2004 - 12:54 pm: In the episode Damage, didn't Degra say that She never gave any proof? Yet, in this episode it is mentioned that She provided the Council with a visual record.SlinkyJ on Thursday, May 13, 2004 - 3:21 pm: I thought I heard Degra say that she didn't have any proof, while Archer did. Yea, I am beginning to think that something is fishy here. Before, there wasn't any proof, but now, she had shown them visual proof, and on top of that, they were helping the Xindi find hospitable planets when theirs blew up, for the past hundred years. I find that a big nit. Unless of course, the sphere builders are manipulating with time again, to make things go their way, and went back to show the proof, that already wasn't shown to them before. It's just now, Degra and gang remember it, when they had no memory of it before. # Obi-Juan on Thursday, May 13, 2004 - 8:02 pm: So T'Pol, the Vulcan, who never lies, tells Trip a fib about having a headache in sickbay. A pointless fib, too, he just asked her if she was all right. ScottN on Thursday, May 13, 2004 - 8:04 pm: Maybe one of her Trellium withdrawal symptoms is headaches? # Hoshi and Degra are briefing Archer as he is walking toward the Council chamber. Seems a bit late to me. They are just making sure it’s fresh in Archer’s mind. # Reed gets too worked up at the loss of Hawkins. He's supposed to be of a military background. His reaction is too whiny for a career military man. He doesn't need T'Pol to tell him that Hawkins' death was honorable, especially in front of a junior officer. SlinkyJ on Thursday, May 13, 2004 - 8:42 pm: You know, I thought of that too, but I also came to the conclusion that up to this point, the military for Earth natives was pretty much dealing within the planet, going off planet thru the stars is a bit of a cultural shock, and then having to deal with a war with aliens, who killed seven million of your own people, I think it was even too much for a quiet and introverted and disciplined man like Reed. I think the storyline is showing that no one is going to be exempted from feeling the repercussions of the war. I think Reed has pretty much kept his up to this point, and for him to lose it, shows us, yea, the disciplined military man is losing it too. Plus, it's not just Reed losing it, he just received a wound that hurts pretty much, and that kind drive anyone over the edge, along with losing people under your command. I don't think Reed was fully comforted by T'Pol despite T'Pol's efforts. His mind was made up on how he saw everything. He was still grieving over the Maco's death. I think T'Pol still felt she was comforting Reed, and to do that in front of a junior officer, probably was suppose to be to help both of them. I personally think T'Pol was there for Reed as a friend, instead of a senior officer. # The Undesirable Element on Friday, May 14, 2004 - 4:25 pm: TEMPORAL COLD WAR AND THE XINDI ARC: I was thinking about this today, and I thought of something interesting. Perhaps the SphereBuilders are the major enemy in the Temporal Cold War. But then maybe there are other factions in the TCW that have different ideas on how to deal with the threat of the SphereBuilders. Each faction could represent a different possible timeline that the SphereBuilders can see, and each faction is fighting for its own timeline's existance. Suppose you have timelines A, B, C, and D. The SphereBuilders can see all of these timelines. They want timeline A to occur where they use the spheres to conquer our galaxy. The Suliban faction may want timeline B to occur where (for example) maybe the Romulans take over the Alpha Quadrant. Daniels may want Timeline C to occur where the Federation is formed and everything occurs as we know it. The Tholians want Timeline D for whatever reason. This may explain why the Suliban allied themselves with Earth in "The Expanse." They both have a common enemy. If the SphereBuilders achieve their goal, Timelines B and C are both in trouble. I arbitrarily say that Daniels represents the timeline we know, but that's just because he says so. I think it would explain a great deal if Daniels's timeline is not the "correct" one. Maybe an as-yet-unseen Timeline E is the one that leads to the future we know. The reason that the 22nd century is a front for the TCW then is because this is one of the time periods that the SphereBuilders have chosen to manipulate. Am I making any sense here? Clint X on Friday, May 14, 2004 - 5:38 pm: You are making sense. There must be more to this than what is obvious. I was thinking that we've kinda quit speculating on who "future guy" is. His identity may be the key to it all. Maybe he is a rebel SphereBuilder who is trying to prevail in an internal struggle by allowing Earth an opportunity to survive and eventually defeat the SphereBuilders' galaxy quest plans. Maybe he first tried working through the Suliban but they turned out to be a bunch of dopes so he changed tactics and made direct contact with Archer. After the Xindi attack on Earth he was running out of time. ScottN on Friday, May 14, 2004 - 6:39 pm:''Clint, maybe the Suliban aren't a bunch of dopes. Consider, the Xindi destroy earth, wiping out Timeline B. FutureGuy manipulates the events of BrokenBow, causing Humans to get out into space several years ahead of schedule and allowing them to be ready (readier) to deal with the Xindi attack. Once the SphereBuilder attack is dealt with, the TCW between Daniels' crowd and FutureGuy's crowd can continue. Clint X on Friday, May 14, 2004 - 6:48 pm:'' I'll take it under consideration....but who is FutureGuy? ScottN on Friday, May 14, 2004 - 9:04 pm: FutureGuy is the Suliban's guy from the future. # DMW on Saturday, May 15, 2004 - 3:29 pm: So ... when did the Xindi Avians die out? In The Shipment, Gralik clearly indicates that the Avians died out recently, victims of the wars that destroyed the Xindi homeworld. ("As far as I'm told, none of them fled before the homeworld was destroyed.") Gralik's grandfather remembered skies full of Avians. But in this episode, Degra tells Archer that the Council chamber, which was constructed by Avians "hundreds of years" before their extinction, is believed to be over 4000 years old. Degra keeps an Avian skull in his quarters. Granted, neither fact is inconsistent with a recent extinction -- Degra may just have chosen his words poorly in describing the chamber's construction -- but the skull is a pretty grisly keepsake if the Avian extinction is that recent. SlinkyJ on Sunday, May 16, 2004 - 12:02 pm: I was confused by all of this too. Though, in my thinking, and thinking about the many timelines talked about here, and the possibilities that time travel can provide, and what kind of paradoxes can occur and have occurred in past Trek shows and episodes, I'm thinking that the Spear builders are constantly time traveling. They may seem to exist in a non-linear dimension like the Prophets, and thus, can manipulate the past. I'm just thinking that they must have been partly responsible the destruction of the Xindi home world, and then went back to do something else, or why else would Degra say about the Avian base being thousands of years old, despite what Gralik said about the Avians dieing off only a hundred. I'm just wondering if Archer and crew are remembering this, or it's just us viewers that are remembering everything while time keeps getting manipulated. This might also explain why is it that the lone Xindi primate gave Archer the coordinates of the Xindi home planet in his dieing breath, but Archer and crew finding only the crumbling remains. I think in the doomed Xindi primate's mind, his planet may have still existed, but by the time Archer got the info and then visited the coordinates, the timeline was manipulated and thus the planet was destroyed for nearly a hundred years. I think the reason the Enterprise crew didn't understand was probably that they weren't acclimated to the timeline of the Expanse yet. Torque, Son of Keplar on Sunday, May 16, 2004 - 7:51 pm: Regarding the Avian skull, I think Degra kept it to remind him of why the Xindi needed to work together. # And the Reptian commander's description of the Avians as a "failed species" is hardly fair if, per Gralik, the Avians were destroyed by Reptilian and Insectoid bombs. But then, what else should we expect from a Reptilian. So which is it? And is it possible that all these references to the (presumed extinct but not actually proven extinct) Avians may eventually pay off somewhere? Clint X on Saturday, May 15, 2004 - 5:45 pm: The Avian skull seems a little grisly by human standards but Xindi standards would not necessarily be the same. Keeping the skull may be the Xindi equivalent of keeping grandma's ashes in an urn on the mantle. Displaying the bones of the dead could be a Xindi way of showing respect and honor. SlinkyJ on Sunday, May 16, 2004 - 12:02 pm: Well, considering that the Avians are now, to the Xindi, considered to be an extinct race, having the skull could be a reminder of their history, and to preserving some evidence that they existed, much like having reconstructed Dinosaur bones in museums. That is how I saw that scene. I think Gralik's story holds up even with the additional information we now have. It's not clear why or when the Avians abandoned this world which they apparently inhabited for thousands of years and all returned to the now destroyed Xindi homeworld but apparently that is what happened. Too bad a few didn't stay away and avoid the destruction (or did they?) Category:EpisodesCategory:Enterprise